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Published: April 18th 2024
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I first became familiar with the concept of a kaiseki dinner with our Ohio relatives in this famous Los Angeles restaurant. At her two Michelin-starred kaiseki temple in Palms, Chef Niki Nakayama serves an astounding 13-course tasting menu with an accepted progression of textures, temperatures, techniques, and ingredients, where each impeccably composed dish—seriously many of them could hang in a museum—must stand on its own but also play seamlessly with its counterparts.
The "Chef's Table" star uses primarily California-sourced ingredients on her menus, and flavors are as refreshing, clean, and subtle as the environment you're sitting in. A vegetarian option is offered, as are wine or sake pairings. With a hefty price tag and months-long waitlist, this likely won't be an every visit kind of meal. It's more a "land a reservation, then buy plane tickets" situation.
It was probably one of the most interesting dinners we have ever enjoyed. The other was a "farm to table" dinner at Seattle's Tom Douglas farm in Prosser, WA several years ago.
What is kaiseki?
Kaiseki, a multicourse meal of seasonal dishes, is influenced by several ancient traditions, including elements of Japanese imperial court cuisine that date back 1,000 years.
Modern-day kaiseki feasts typically feature 10 courses like sashimi, a grilled dish, and a soup, rounded out with rice, pickles, and something sweet, like sliced fresh fruit. Kyoto, where kaiseki is believed to have originated, is especially notable for having many kaiseki-specialized restaurants.
Keep in mind that evening kaiseki meals can run upwards of several hundred dollars. If you’re watching your budget, look for kaiseki restaurants that offer a shorter and more wallet-friendly menu at lunchtime. Be sure to let the restaurant know ahead of time of any allergies or dietary restrictions you may have.
Mike and I are having a kaiseki dinner on Thursday. I had to fee a pay last month, just to apply for a dinner reservation. This is the email from Fushikino.
I hope this message finds you well! We're thrilled to inform you that your reservation at Fushikino has been successfully confirmed for April 4, 2024, at 19:00. We've secured counter seats for two.
For a delightful dining experience, Fushikino offers two pre-order options:
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Well, which one do you think we will have? We figured we might as well go for #2, since we will probably not pass through this area again. Did I forget to mention that his restaurant has only NINE seats?
It turned out to be the most disappointing, expensive dinner either of us has EVER had. Why? Many dishes repeated the same, slightly bitter after taste. Vegetables were overcooked, and some of the fresh greens were quite tasteless or off-putting. I gave them a very mediocre review. How does a place like this get a star??
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